We're planning a trip to Canada this summer and discovered that in order to return from our visit to our neighbor to the north, we have to have passports for the whole family. The USA lets you leave without paperwork, but doesn't let you back in so easily. (It's exactly the opposite of New Jersey. Continue Reading
ArchivesMay, 2009
13MayObligatory Mention of Swine Flu
I think it's been four whole days since my local morning news show has mentioned the Swine Flu. Are you tired of all the hype yet? All this for an illness that has had mostly mild effect on only a few hundred people. I will say that one good thing has come out of it. Continue Reading
12MayBelly Up to the Birdseed Buffet
I don't live out in the country like my sister and brother do. For them, seeing a hawk is routine. For me, anything beyond a squirrel, chipmunk and the occasional skunk is exotic. Recently I was watching the birds that come to my feeder. Again, I live in a suburb near Philadelphia. We get sparrows, Continue Reading
11MayWeird Holiday Monday: Post-Mother's-Day Edition!
Are you all done pampering your mom--or if you're a mom, did you enjoy your special day? I hope your family made it special for you! Now that your special holiday is over, it's time to get down to the business of exploring the other interesting celebrations that take place this week. We've worked hard Continue Reading
08MayMother's Day!
I've been a mom for over 17 years now, so I feel equipped to give a little advice about what moms do not want for Mother's Day. Vacuums, Swiffer Wet Jets, or any other cleaning equipment. Don't insult your wife or mom by suggesting that she doesn't do a good enough job keeping the house Continue Reading
07MayHave you tweeted today?
Do you email, surf, blog, facebook, google, tweet, myspace, or plurk? Do you do all of those? I joined facebook to keep up with my kids--and rediscovered friends and acquaintances from long ago (we won't say how long.) My kids think it would be funny if I joined the "Keep Parents Off Facebook" group on Continue Reading
06MayIt's Easy Being Green--When the Sky is Blue
It's rained here for the past seven days and doesn't look like it will stop anytime soon. That means I've had to resort to using my dryer for all the laundry our family of five generates. With two in sports, that's a lot of laundry. Springtime usually means that I can take my laundry outside Continue Reading
05MayBlack Friday and Cyber Monday: Blurring the Lines
Years ago, Black Friday was considered the official start of the holiday shopping season to the degree that retailers would wait until that day to set up Christmas displays. But the arrival of the Internet and Cyber Monday have changed the dynamics of Black Friday and essentially made it a four-day event.Continue Reading
05MayIt's a Comfort-Food Thing
I'll bet you buy the same brand of peanut butter your mom served you when you were a kid. Same with tuna, mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard. For some reason, lunch is the meal that brings back more memories for me than any other. I suspect that the same will be true for my nieces and Continue Reading
04MayWeird Holiday Monday: April Showers Bring May Flowers Edition
We all know that this week includes Mother's Day. In fact, Ultimate Coupons brings you the ultimate Mother's Day page of savings! But there are a lot more holidays and celebrations in May--bet you haven't heard of these! Just because they're new to you, though, doesn't mean you can't enjoy some great deals. May is Continue Reading
01MaySamuel Morse Sends Flowers?
At the end of the street where I spent my childhood, there was a large florist shop with two big display windows. Since the shop was located at a busy five-way intersection, we were often afforded ample time to enjoy the window decorations. To my young eyes, the floral arrangements were beautiful enough to be Continue Reading